This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report reviews how fatherhood programs serving previously incarcerated low-income fathers can incorporate a trauma-informed system of care into their program design. Trauma-specific services are important for fathers as they reconnect with their families upon release, since their past experience with trauma may challenge them. The report also examines the approaches that fatherhood programs use to identify and assess fathers who could benefit from a trauma-informed system of care, as well as available resources for implementing trauma-informed approaches.

This National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse data set analyzes statistics on substance use, misuse, and abuse among resident fathers. The data analysis examines tobacco, marijuana, alcohol use, binge and heavy drinking, medication and inhalant misuse and abuse, and use of other illicit substances, as well as drug or alcohol treatment. Analysis reflects tobacco or marijuana use in the past 12 months, binge or heavy drinking in the past 30 days, medication or inhalant misuse or abuse and illicit substance use in the past 12 months, and treatment for addiction over the fathers’ lifetime. Data is presented in tables that analyze survey results broken down by race and ethnicity, educational level, and marital status.

This MDRC brief examines the implementation and impact of Washington State’s Division of Child Support (DCS) “personalized” approach for establishing and enforcing child support orders. The approach focuses on providing an alternative compliance mechanism beyond the “service of process” – a formal legal procedure that outlines the amount the noncustodial parent must pay each month. The “personalized” approach aims to lessen distrust which reduces compliance among noncustodial parents and calls for a more cooperative relationship with the noncustodial parent to include: a specialized unit of caseworkers, pre-service outreach phone calls, a follow-up letter to parents not reached by phone, and a new cover sheet that is included in the child support order.

This Administration for Children and Families research-to-practice brief offers examples of employer engagement that have occurred under the HPOG program. The brief also outlines how these employer partnerships were designed and the outcomes that have resulted for HPOG participants.

The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) will host a webinar on September 19, 2019 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET to identify and build workforce strategies that target underserved populations as part of a large economic development approach for communities. Presentations will be made by representatives from the Institute for Work and the Economy, Mid-America Regional Council, the National Skills Coalition, and the Brighton Center (a social service agency). Registration fees are required for both IEDC members and non-IEDC members.

This National League of Cities issue brief identifies the challenges that mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness present to local communities. The brief profiles innovative approaches that city leaders have taken, including first responder-provider partnerships, first responder-led referral programs, and regional dedicated emergency psychiatric facilities. Examples are presented of how these approaches are tailored to the unique community needs in Seattle, Washington; Gloucester, Massachusetts; and Alameda County, California.

This Lumina Foundation issue paper looks at how community colleges are moving towards emphasizing workforce education for underserved populations and ways that colleges build partnerships with employers. The issue paper also looks at the adoption of shorter, stackable credentials and the value of credentials in the labor market as workers enter and progress through career pathways.

This toolkit issued by Reimagine Retail Chicagoland provides useful information on designing and implementing career pathways in the retail industry. The toolkit offers sources for labor market information that can be used to develop the pathways and provides examples of “scripts” and language to use to create employer partnerships. There is also a section that evaluates how to use engaged employers’ feedback to create and strengthen sustainable workforce partnerships in the retail industry which can be applied to other industry sectors.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief reviews the state of data availability and data quality related to community connections for home visitations. The brief identifies data sources that are available to stakeholders as well as data sets not readily accessible (for example, the number of clients referred for services) and the data not available but desired (such as the capacity or quality of community service providers). There is discussion about future opportunities to improve data availability, accessibility, and quality.